Full STEAM Ahead

Posted April 3, 2017 by Toni Cerbo

A Whole New World of Innovation Awaits Students at the STEM Innovators-in-Training Experiences

The STEM fields are constantly changing and to stay fresh, exciting changes have come to the Ten80 STEM Innovators-in-Training (IiT) Experience for 2017. We have created a whole new program centered around design thinking and agile and lean practices allowing students to get the maximum of workshops in a fun and entertaining way.

Ten80 recently partnered with LearnFresh, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides a fresh take on academic exploration through Student Centered Design, sparking students’ curiosity in the educational value of the ordinary and extraordinary in their lives.

LearnFreshand Ten80 have developed a new workshop focused on socially-driven game design. LearnFresh brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise on the intersection of game design as a science, behavior design and design thinking. Students will draw on game mechanics, narrative design, psychology and economics to put concepts to work to facilitate the connection of people and improvement in their lives. Student challenges will encourage students to apply game design concepts to social entrepreneurship programs.

Ten80 expanded its partnership with Couragion to bring STEM career exploration and channel student interest into real academic, emotional and professional success during the events. Students will be introduced to the fastest growing STEM careers through a diverse representation of role models that best align with each of the workshop themes. Couragion’s app opens students’ minds to the vast opportunities available in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields.

While each of the six workshops address different concepts and skills, all address a key aspect of the innovation process. Each workshop feeds into an optional Innovators-in-Training Challengethat invites students to continue the engagement in the weeks following the event. Resources are provided so this can be 100% student-led – though mentoring always helps!

“We are thrilled to work with these partners, to bring this new format to the STEM IiT and to introduce new workshops and challenges for students,” said Terri Stripling, President and CEO of Ten80 Education. “We have seen the growth of popularity with the STEM IiT events and the excitement they produce. We believe students and educators will love these fast-paced and rigorous STEM/STEAM workshops to fast track math, science and engineering proficiency, through higher-order thinking while igniting creativity and enthusiasm.”

The STEM Innovators-in-Training (IiT) Experience can serve as a kick-off to long-term learning. Schools that attend with 40 or more students are eligible for a sponsorship which provides up to $5,200 in curriculum, classroom-ready materials and support from Ten80 Education.